Clays, in particular smectite clays are known fabric-softening agents, and their use in fabric-softening through the wash has been disclosed in the art.
The relative ability of the softening clays to meet various performance criteria is among others depending on the presence of adjunct detergent ingredients. As a consequence, the detergent formulator is faced with a difficult task of providing detergent compositions which have an excellent overall performance.
One of the types of adjunct detergent ingredients that is added to detergent compositions are dye transfer inhibiting polymers. Said polymers are added to detergent compositions in order to inhibit the transfer of dyes from colored fabrics onto other fabrics washed therewith. These polymers have the ability to complex or adsorb the fugitive dyes washed out of dyed fabrics before the dyes have the opportunity to become attached to other articles in the wash.
Polymers have been used within detergent compositions to inhibit dye transfer.
Examples of such polymers are vinylpyrrolidone polymers such as described EP-A-265 257 and EP 508 034.
Unfortunately, said vinylpyrrolidone polymers tend to interact with the clays formulated therewith. Accordingly, the dye transfer inhibiting performance of the polymers and the softening performance of the clays are negatively affected.
It has now been found that polyamine N-oxide containing polymers are very compatible with clays in that the dye transfer inhibiting performance of the polyamine N-oxide containing polymers is not negatively affected in the presence of clays. In addition, it has been found that the softening performance of clays formulated with polyamine N-oxide containing polymers has been maintained.
This finding allows us to formulate detergent compositions which have both excellent dye transfer inhibiting properties and softening performance.
According to another embodiment of this invention a process is also provided for laundering operations involving colored fabrics.
Copending European Patent Application No. 92202168.8 describes polyamine N-oxide containing polymers which are very efficient in eliminating transfer of solubilized or suspended dyes.